For those of you who are new, flee before its too late. For those of you who've stayed, welcome to the circus.

Terms And Conditions

By using this content, you agree to the Terms Of Use disclaimer and our Views Expressed disclaimer.

Monday, November 17, 2025

Tales of the Sanctum: Era of the Spellbound - Episode 7: Nothing Sacred (Started November 17, 2025 15:30 EST)


  [Spellbound - Siouxie And The Banshees] 


Do you like enigmatic characters, engrossing story, magic and the ever atemporal weave?

Play Baldur's Gate 3 [On Steam]


Chapters

  1. Broken Shackles (Finished November 17, 2025 15:30 EST)
  2. Purpose Anew (Coming soon...)

Support Charity


Please support education and information access where you can in addition to these charities:


Muscular Dystrophy Canada Muscular Dystrophy Association
Muscular Dystrophy Canada’s mission is to enhance the lives of those affected by neuromuscular disorders by continually working to provide ongoing support and resources while relentlessly searching for a cure through well-funded research.


The Heart And Stroke Foundation [This episode focuses on issues associated with heart health]
For over 60 years, Heart & Stroke has been dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. Our work has saved thousands of lives and improved the lives of millions of others.


Humane Society International [This episode focuses on the allegiance of humans and animals]
The Humane Society protects the health, lives and rights of animals the world over, ensuring that they too have a voice in this world. We are interdependent upon the complex web of life this entire planet over for our mutual survival. This is a world wide charity.


Sick Kids Foundation - Check out the Sick Kids Raffle!
Help research that provides cures and support treatment for sick children. 


Creating a world of possibility for kids and youth with disabilities.


The Cancer Research Institute
The Princess Margaret Foundation
Cancer Research organizations that combine the expertise of many different research firms and Universities to find innovative treatments and cures for Cancer.


David Suzuki Foundation
Through evidence-based research, education and policy analysis, we work to conserve and protect the natural environment, and help create a sustainable Canada. We regularly collaborate with non-profit and community organizations, all levels of government, businesses and individuals.


Donate directly to FireAid today to help us start rebuilding our community. Direct donations will be distributed under the advisement of the Annenberg Foundation and will be distributed for short-term relief efforts and long-term initiatives to prevent future fire disasters throughout Southern California.


United Nations Fund
United Way Worldwide
Two organizations whose contribution of expertise, human and financial resources and volunteer efforts provide humanitarian solutions to real world problems the entire world over. These charities operate worldwide. The United Nations Fund supports the various programs part of the United Nations' global mandate, as much a foundation as it is a roof around the world.


World Veterans Federation (Under Reconstruction) [Wikipedia]
The World Veterans Federation is a humanitarian organisation, a charity and a peace activist movement. The WVF maintains its consultative status with the United Nations since 1951 and was conferred the title of “Peace Messenger” in 1987.


I'd like to point out that it was the incredible Gary Sinese Foundation that brought the issue of Veteran's rights to my attention. I've always had little respect for those who'd forget the great contribution made by those who've risked life and limb to defend those values that so many of us espouse. Perhaps the true measure of one's principles are by that for which they'd risk their life.

"None can speak more eloquently for peace than those who have fought in war."

Ralph Bunche, Nobel Peace Prize 1950


The Reeve Foundation provides programs for research, uniting Scientists and Specialists from many different fields to find treatments for spinal cord injury translating them into therapies and support programs.


The ALS Society Of BC
ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease) is a progressive neuromuscular disease in which nerve cells die and leave voluntary muscles paralyzed. The ALS society provides a variety of programs to combat this disease and help those with it to survive.


The Global Foodbanking Network
Ensuring that people the world over have enough food day to day in order to survive and lead healthy lives. In this challenging day and age services like this are becoming more and more essential. This is a world wide charity.


The Edgar Allan Poe Museum
Because Barris told me to put it here. If I didn't, he said he'd walk. Geez. Stardom really gets to some people's heads. Maybe I could kill him and bury his heart beneath the floor boards! Or I could encase him in behind a brick and mortar wall, for shaming my family name of Amantillado! 

In all truth, there's a good chance that thanks to the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Jonathan Swift, Mary Shelley, Robert Louis Stevenson, Herbert George Wells, Jules Verne, Dr. Seuss, Stephen King, Clive Barker and Pierre Burton (for The Secret World Of Og and his ground breaking interview of Bruce Lee) that all of us are literate. Actually that goes back much farther to the Phoenecians and their first 22 character system of symbols. Literacy is important. Really it is. Literally. It allows us to approach our employer at the end of the week (with a big club) and ask: where my money?! Math important too. It help us count our thirteen fingers and toes.


Wikipedia
The model for what may become the Encyclopedia Galactica, a complete reference and record of history, events and knowledge of humanity and its journey beyond. It is the encyclopedia of all that we know, what we surmise that we've known and will learn in the future. Yes, Wikipedia is a charitable organization of great importance. If you enjoy what I am doing here then please take the time to donate to Wikipedia. Surprisingly only 1% of Wikipedia's users donate yet the site serves pages to millions every day.


Humble Bundle
A video gaming storefront benefiting a vast variety of different Charities in the United States and United Kingdom (hopefully soon to be expanded to include other areas of the world?). By software their software bundles and choose which Charity your money benefits and how much of your money benefits that Charity. See? Gamers can do their part too.


Multiple Sclerosis is a degenerative disease currently affecting an estimated 2.3 million world wide. By donating you are contributing to effective research in finding a cure and tipping the scales of MS research to change lives forever.


If you're a resident of Ontario then please consider supporting Building Better Schools.


Other Ways To Help Using Your Computer

Donate your idle computer time to science! Join the World Community Grid by clicking on one of the links below and follow the instructions for how to participate:



Thank you for your support

Shhhh! Digital Media

Brian Joseph Johns

Shhhh! Digital Media Presents:

Tales of the Sanctum: Era of the Spellbound - Episode 7: Nothing Sacred

by Brian Joseph Johns


Broken Shackles


Shaela burst into the room first, Mila and Nelony poured in behind her, taking her flanks as they advanced towards the bed. On the far side of the bed, they could see the top of Miana's head as she sat on the floor, using the side of the bed as a back rest. The desperate sound of weeping coming from that side of the room though none could be certain of the source.


"What did you do with Glynis?" asked Shaela of Miana as they approached, Wes once again trying to step out protectively in front of Shaela, Mila and Nelony, Neville taking up the other flank.


"We have to do this," Shaela explained to Wes.


"Why? This happened to all of us?" Wes responded, still grasping the broom firmly in his hand.


Shaela gazed at him firmly, and he backed down, instead taking up the far flank opposite Neville.


"I didn't know..." Miana's weeping voice responded to Shaela.


When Mila spotted Glynis huddled up into the corner facing Miana, holding Happiu~isuka protectively in her arms, she ran over to the girl and checked her for any signs of injury.


"Are you alright?" Mila asked the Glynis.


"We both are..." Glynis responded, Happiu~isuka suddenly struggling to get closer to Mila as his tail wagged frantically.


"Its a good thing too," Nelony stood beside Shaela, who now stood over Miana, leaned against the side of the bed, her arms wrapped around her knees, which were pulled in to her chest as she tried to hide.


"I used to be like you. All three of you..." Miana revealed to them as if it were the beginning of a confession.


"Hopeful... Optimistic... Innocent..." Miana continued.


 "Nelony? Could you help me get Glynis to more comfortable surroundings?" Mila asked of Nelony, who suddenly spurred herself into action to assist Mila.


"Wes. Neville. Take Glynis to a comfortable place downstairs. Mila, Nelony and I have to have a talk with our friend here," Shaela spoke with authority once again and they didn't hesitate.


"Sure thing. We've got this," Wes responded to her, though she remained distant as he got one of Glynis' arms, relieving Mila.


"Righty-oh. We're on it," Neville added, taking Glynis other arm from Nelony, leaving the four of them (five if you count Happiu~isuka) to deal with the issue at hand.


"Don't you think it might be better to send the puppy downstairs? I mean this woman tried to kidnap him," suggested Nelony, looking first protectively to Happiu~isuka in Mila's arms and then distastefully to Miana who occupied Susan Gardener's body as she sat on the floor.


"This concerns him as much as it concerns you and I. He's staying. He deserves an explanation as much as we do," Mila stroked the puppy's head as she looked to Miana.


"Despite my having suggested to removing him to safety, I have to say that I completely agree to his staying and for the same reasons," Nelony responded agreeably.


"So you're saying that you used to be like us?" Shaela confirmed what she'd heard from Miana.


"Look. You don't know what you are. I didn't know what I was either. I had an idea, but when they came for me, that's when I began to suspect it. That this world is not what it appears to be..." Miana's legs slowly slid feet first, flattening to the floor.

She then folded them and sat cross-legged wiping her eyes as she continued.


"Who came for you?" Shaela asked, looking to Nelony as she recalled Nelony's story about the man who withered the squirrel.


"There are people in this world who are afraid of us. Who want the power we wield for their own purposes. They watch us very carefully. When we are first born, they keep us under constant scrutiny for any signs of those of us with our gifts..." Miana began laying it all out for them.


"When we were of age, they would come and take us from our parents. Ready us for our place in the world, as part of their plan, and yet, some of us slipped through undetected. I almost did. Wanted to. But they found me nonetheless," Miana's life came pouring out in memories and tears.


"And here you are... whatever you are," Shaela grilled her.


"Whatever we are. Don't forget that this includes us too," Nelony reminded her friend.


"So you're saying that we're the same as you? That we have some kind of aura about us that can bring about good things...?" Mila asked Miana.


"And bad things. No, we're not the same. The others like you. My Mila. My Nelony. My Shaela, you were found by another group. One who protects women and men like you from the group that found me," Miana's tears finally stopped and she sniffled a few times before getting to her feet, Shaela still dwarfing her.


"What? So we're part of some cosmic conspiracy involving the tangling of sparkly air?" Nelony asked Miana quite sarcastically, her words catching the attention of the raven as it finished the last piece of surumi.


The raven turned to listen to them, cocking its head sideways as they spoke.


"No. Not anymore. You see, the group I was a part of... they wiped yours out. They 're ripping time apart from its natural flow, and changing the events that would have eventually led to your joining the other group. The one that are and have already been erased," Miana revealed to them.


"What group is this to which you refer?" asked Shaela.


"The Sanctum Seclorum," Miana answered them.


As Nelony heard the words, she recalled the strange coin she'd found in the old man's store. She quickly pulled it from her pocket and read the inscription:


Veritas Tantum - Noti Et Ignoti
Sitis - Ad Disciplinarum
Semper Conatus

Sanctum Seclorum


To be continued...


Credits and attribution:

Special Thanks To Rocket Fuel Lakeshore Blvd West, perhaps the best place in history to get a coffee, circa 2001-2004. Miss you all very much.

Artwork: Amy Wong, Wendy Pusey, Ghastly, Birdman, Brian Joseph Johns, Daz3D, Unreal Engine...

Tools: Daz3D, Corel Painter, Adobe Photoshop, Lightwave 3D, Blender, Stable Diffusion (Easy Diffusion distribution), InstantID, Sadtalker, Google Colaboratory, Microsoft Copilot (Windows 11), Hitfilm, PhotoPea (a great web based Photoshop stand-in if you're on a low budget or in a pinch), Borderline Obsession...

DeepSeek AI for suggestions on exercises to improve aspects of describing scene and settings with a more sensory focused grammar.

InstantID by: Wang, Qixun and Bai, Xu and Wang, Haofan and Qin, Zekui and Chen, Anthony. Research Paper Title: InstantID - Zero-shot Identity-Preserving Generation in Seconds.

Sadtalker by: Zhang, Wenxuan and Cun, Xiaodong and Wang, Xuan and Zhang, Yong and Shen, Xi and Guo, Yu and Shan, Ying and Wang, Fei.
Research Paper Title: SadTalker: Learning Realistic 3D Motion Coefficients for Stylized Audio-Driven Single Image Talking Face Animation.

Gratitude: Our Mentors, Senseis, Sifus, Sebomnims, lifetime inspirations, family, friends, the Nomads (ask Stanton about that one), the Music, the Movies, the Theatre, the Arts, ASMR, (both YouTube and Bilibili and the many other creators on those platforms), the Gaming and Developer communities and of course, the audience.

Martial Arts (in the words of real experts and at least one comedian): https://brucelee.com (home of the real Dragon and an entire family of inspirations), http://iwco.online International Wing Chun Organization (International presence of a very scalable intensity martial art, protected and developed by Shaolin Nun Ng Mui) and the alma mater of Jinn Hua's own specialized variation thereof, https://iogkf.com International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karatedo Federation (even Hanshi had his teachers), https://itftkd.sport International Taekwondo Federation (Here there be Taegers), https://tangsoodoworld.com Tang Soo Do World (the path of Grandmaster Chuck Norris), https://www.aikido-international.org International Aikido Federation (how else would Navy Chef Steven Seagal liberate a Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier from a team of hijackers?), https://www.stqitoronto.com Shaolin Temple Quanfa Institute (The City Of Toronto's own Shaolin Temple), https://www.enterthedojoshow.com Master Ken's Ameri-Te-Do presence (If we can't laugh at ourselves, then we can at least laugh the loudest at others, and other Zen)

Magic (performance, illusion and perhaps the real thing): Magic Week Archive (I'm currently growing this section so stay tuned)

Special thanks to Aitrepreneur, Mickmumpitz, Hugging Face and the YouTube educational content producers, including those catering to the AI content production pipeline and of course AlphaSignal.

Shi Heng Yi Shaolin Training For Self Mastery 
A reknowned Sifu under whose tutelage you can study the theory and practical applications of the Shaolin Arts for health, physical and mental wellbeing in every day life

Shi Heng Yi Shaolin Training For Self Mastery 
A reknowned Sifu under whose tutelage you can study the theory and practical applications of the Shaolin Arts for health, physical and mental wellbeing in every day life

Jesse Enkamp: Karate Nerd
Jesse, a reknowned Sensei who runs his own dojo, explores the world of Martial Arts, traveling to many exotic locations to meet practitioners of a variety of different arts

Sensei Rokas: Martial Arts Journey
A reknowned Sensei of Aikido who in seeking to understand the roots of Aikido and its applications, seeks to stress test its effectiveness in a number of real world situations while studying its history

Seamus O'Dowd
An extensive growing archive Katas, Techniques and Waza (mostly Shotokan)

Iaido: Train For Katana Mastery Like Samurai 
The original weapons focused curriculum under which Samurai became masters of their art

Tapp Brothers Exercise For Better Motion 
Extensive courses for calisthenics and body strength, stamina and flexibility

Special thanks to Canva for inspiring other creators and giving them the tools

Special thanks to Captain Crunch and his wonderful sister!

Special thanks to Bandcamp for giving indie music artists a home under one roof

Something to give you perspective: The very first teacher had no formal education, didn't graduate and was self taught, but only because they had no other choice. We do.

This content is entirely produced in Toronto, Ontario, Canada at 200 Sherbourne Street Suite 701 under the Shhhh! Digital Media banner.

at